Multi color inlay work

[Brian Hochstrat]

http://imgur.com/DDC4FjC

 

[Goldjockey]

Amazing!!!

 

[Leonardo]

Superb work as always Brian!
The way you render a face is among the best I saw. Congratulations!

 

[FANCYGUN]

Brian great subject, great composition, great technique and great execution
Marty

 

[John B.]

What was written above.......In spades
And congrats on your 2020 FEGA show wins.

 

[papart1]

just plain beautiful

 

[allan621]

Amazing - the collar on the swan, the beautiful lettering. and like Leonardo said, the work on the face is amazing, the prow of the boat. Everywhere you look there is something else to focus on in wonder.

The engraver in me says, no matter what you charged, it wasn't enough.

 

[jerrywh]

A technical genius at work here. Brian, Did you use any platinum on this?

 

[Crossbolt]

http://imgur.com/DDC4FjC

Amazing!
"Pink" is copper?
Thanks
Jeremy

 

[graniteguy52]

Truly spectacular!
The work of a genuine artist!

And thanks for letting us see it.

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

I used platinum on the gray areas(armor, castle), the white areas (swan, skirt, clouds) are silver

pink is rose gold, copper is brown(boat ,belt, cattails)

In general I try to avoid metals that tarnish, but sometimes it is unavoidable, as in this case when you need bright white and brown.

Though this kind of inlay takes a bit of planning out as it is, the real factor of complexity, was the radius on the floorplate. It had roughly an 1.5" radius. So that not only increased the difficulty for the actual setting of the inlays, it also made it necessary to distort the image so it would look correct when viewed straight on.

Thanks for the kinds responses.

 

[jerrywh]

Brian. That is super good work. I know how it is to use different metals. It takes a lot of know how and planning. I just love your stuff. Don't burn out.

 

[dcurrie911]

Stunning work. I’m curious how you achieved such a black background. It looks too dark to be charcoal blueing.
Dan

 

[Adder]

Wonderful work Brian!! I love it!!

Jørn-Ove

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

The blueing is a caustic blue

 

[zzcutter]

How does the copper affect the bluing process.

 

[Mike Cirelli]

Wow absolutely great work.
Brian I remember reading about Mokume rings made of silver and copper and the copper would corrode to nothing. I wonder if the same could happen with the silver touching the copper in inlays. The problem exists from body salts causing a chemical reaction. Have you ever had a problem like that with inlays?

 

[Memorymaker]

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

Blueing salts have no reaction to pure copper, anything with zinc in it like brass or aluminum will be dissolved contaminate your salts.

I have read there is a similar chemical reaction with copper to steel. However there must me some other factors involved, as I have never seen it happen. I have bridle bits for horses that have copper inlays in the mouthpiece that are 50+ years old and the copper is just fine. I would speculate with the rings the contact between skin and copper would have a more adverse affect on the copper, depending on the ph of the wearers skin. Fingerprints for example are very corrosive even on 416 stainless, a corrosion resistant metal.

 

[DanM]

Wow absolutely great work.
Brian I remember reading about Mokume rings made of silver and copper and the copper would corrode to nothing. I wonder if the same could happen with the silver touching the copper in inlays. The problem exists from body salts causing a chemical reaction. Have you ever had a problem like that with inlays?

James Binnion's blog toward the bottom of the page,it does happen but it is environmental and body chemistry. You can look at his examples,but the piece I have worn for the last 30 years shows little corrosion. https://mokume-gane.com/blog/